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Jaya had not opposed Central schemes: Minister

Chennai

20 Mar 2017

Ruling AIADMK today said late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had not opposed Central schemes like National Food Security Act but had only sought changes. Accused by archrival DMK of implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) during the former Chief Minister's hospitalisation last year, Electricity Minister P Thangamani said she had sought changes to suit Tamil Nadu's needs. He was responding to DMK MLA T Senguttuvan who accused the ruling party of implementing Central schemes like NFSA during Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation "though she had opposed them earlier." "Amma (Jayalalithaa) never opposed the schemes but had sought changes," he told during a debate in the state Assembly on the budget, presented last week. Three years after its enactment, Tamil Nadu government had decided to implement NFSA from November 1, 2016. It had however said that its existing Universal Public Distribution System will continue, wherein rice is being supplied to all rice cardholders. Jayalalithaa was hospitalised on September 22, 2016 and breathed her last on December 5 the same year. Tamil Nadu had also joined Centre's Ujjwal Discom Yojana (UDAY) in January this year. Jayalalithaa had opposed some provisions of UDAY too, such as the quarterly revision of power tariff. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal had, however, himself met Jayalalithaa once to discuss about UDAY last year.(PTI)